Anyone tried these yet???? From S&N.

http://www.sn-fab.com/products/Tom/ujoint.html

would that be very difficult to make on a lathe?

These were touched upon in an Ox or similar thread. I, personally would not want to weld the caps on. You need a full circle weld, and to be honest, I'd think that would harden the metal around the weld though.

He claims he's broken shafts, but those look like stock shafts, so they're probably stronger than stock joints, but they seem like a real PITA.

Bryan

Originally posted by WideJ
would that be very difficult to make on a lathe?

No.

J. J.

im very interested to hear more about these. why would there need to be a full circle weld? this is how i do mine

I've seen "tacks" like those still fail.

you can get busing material at bearing supply, in almost any size. If you can get the ID right, turning down the od in a lathe would be nothing.

In this case, there's no other method of cap retention, apparently. They welded them full around on their site:
http://www.sn-fab.com/products/Tom/magic04.jpg

Bryan

Web site says $50 a joint.
Well with the New spicer 760 u-joint found as low as $20, that $30 for the sleeves. Seems high to me.

Still can't picture what the stock C clips would not work, or even a snap ring. Looks like he is using the stock caps.

I'm confused, how are these joints any stronger than a stock joint? You have the same caps any the same cross. Also, if you replace the needle bearings with bushings the joints are going to wear out faster.


Basically the needle bearrings are removed and a sleeve is put in their place. The benefits of this are that you won't have needles to wear out

Im here for tech only. Not for whining. Flame the piss out of me. These things work. Later......

OK, so you have a bushing instead of needle bearings.

Explain to me why that's better. The bearings themselves move, thus constantly circulating the lubricant.

The bushings don't move. Won't they develop hotspots and burn out more quickly? I realize they'll handle a heavier load, but what's the longevity of them?

I thnk the rationale goes something like this:

5-297's and 5-760's often fail because they spit the clips out and lose a cap. So you can weld them in, but putting a good enough weld to hold them in sometimes messes up the needles and burns the grease out of them. Replacing the needles with a bushing prevents this from happening.

Obviously they're not the ultimate fix, but if they're good enough to snap a stock spicer shaft, it's at least something of an upgrade compared to a normal 5-760.

Is there a better way to make a relatively cheap, relatively stock joint live?

i have never broken a u-joint with my toyoa 4cyl. i only spit the caps out and break th shafts. but after a couple years of hard use im sure the u joint will go. it might be worth it?

Plus, if you spend $50 per joint, weld the shit out of it, and break the shaft, who's going to grind the welds down to get the bushings back out? So then what, you're out another $50 for another joint PLUS the new shaft?.......seems like too much work

Originally posted by HEAD
Plus, if you spend $50 per joint, weld the shit out of it, and break the shaft, who's going to grind the welds down to get the bushings back out? So then what, you're out another $50 for another joint PLUS the new shaft?.......seems like too much work

PLUS the other shaft that you can't use because it's welded, too!

$50 bushings
$25 joint
$XX new shafts.

Originally posted by CoryB
OK, so you have a bushing instead of needle bearings.

Explain to me why that's better. The bearings themselves move, thus constantly circulating the lubricant.

The bushings don't move. Won't they develop hotspots and burn out more quickly? I realize they'll handle a heavier load, but what's the longevity of them?
Ever Seen a CTM?
THey use bushings. It lets them get a larger diameter cross. THe bushing is a softer material than the cross so when they wear you replace the bushings so they are rebuildable as long as you keep them greased. Nobody is going to dispute that CTM is a good product. Seems to me like these guys are coppying the bushing idea from CTM and then the welding fixes the problem of the cap splitting. CTM's caps are thicker wall stronger material.
Now my issue here is distorting the cap and basicly your screwed if you need to replace the joint for just normal wear.
Don't like it. Some Tack weldsthat can easily be removed with a full circle clips will do the trick. The amount of heat to weld that full circle is probaly distorting the caps and causing uneven tempering of the yoke.
Fact of the matter is the CTM's use just a full circle clip and the instances of the cap coming out is VERY low. The folks that are busting CTM's are typically in compitition and beating on the truck way harder then most of us.
I'll stick with CTM's and Warns...if it ever breaks it lifetime warranty. I'll only had to buy it once.

the rational goes something along the liens that the stock berrings crush real easy and cause small dents in the joint further causing them to wear quickly. also by fully welding the caps in it helps prevent the ears from streaching.

and yes, tom (captin america) has been compeating with them for years with stock shafts that he cuts to length and resplines him self.

Originally posted by Grim Reaper

I'll stick with CTM's and Warns...if it ever breaks it lifetime warranty. I'll only had to buy it once.

Works for me. I toasted a Warn stub shaft which they say they will warranty and the CTM/caps/other shaft are pristine. The one bad thing is that the shaft took out the spindle when it grenaded..

http://128.83.80.200/taco/brokeaxle1.jpg
http://128.83.80.200/taco/brokeaxle2.jpg

After reading all the numerous threads on joints and caps and welding and whatever... i have a question...


How exactly are the caps coming out?

1) Do they simply pinch/break the clips and are allowed to walk out due to spinning/vibrations?

2) Or are they ejected/spit out with some amount of force...

This leads me to some thoughts.....

If 1, is the cause why couldn't you use a larger rubber hose/band/tube sleve etc. that would go around the joint area.

If 2 couldn't one make a small clip type device that would slip on over the ear (hooking around) in a way to not interfear with proper operations, and have a small threaded countersunk/flush screw to pre-load the cap a small bit?

Just thinking out loud..... But what do i really know i run berfs :D

-yag

Originally posted by Grim Reaper

Ever Seen a CTM?
THey use bushings. It lets them get a larger diameter cross. THe bushing is a softer material than the cross so when they wear you replace the bushings so they are rebuildable as long as you keep them greased. Nobody is going to dispute that CTM is a good product.


In a word, yes I have seen CTM joints; and the aformentioned joints are hardly like them. The modified 297x joints are just a regular old joint. Welding the cap on is not a built in service with this u-joint. Also, if a regular 297x joint is greased regularly then it can last a peson ten years, provided it dosen't die a horrible death. And I agree, CTM joints are a good product.

if you have ever seen tom or his captain america rig you might understand. seems like a good low buck solution to me.

"Hey....those aren't those 'fake' CTM's are they........"

:flipoff2:

It looks like a good idea (I've toasted a bunch of needle bearings) but damn, it ain't worth an extra 25-30 bones just for bushings.